Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Criticism of Theodosia and the Pirates

As you probably know if you've ever read a synopsis of Theodosia and the Pirates, it's a speculative historical romance based on the idea that when she was lost at sea, Theodosia Burr Alston may have met Jean Laffite and fallen in love with him, and the two of them may then have gone off to save the United States from the evil British together.

Realistic? Maybe not. But romantic, exciting and patriotic, definitely. And yet there were those who found this notion offensive.


None of the Jean Laffite aficionados was offended by this plot device, but Theodosia apologists were. Is there a double standard in play here? And why do people like having pirates as bad guys in historical novels set in the War of 1812, when it is the British who behaved badly toward the American public?



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2 comments:

  1. JFebruary 5, 2014 at 9:43 AM

    The criticism against the novel was silly. I actually think the people who were upset with it was because the idolize Theodosia in a way that might not be realistic.

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    1. Aya KatzFebruary 5, 2014 at 11:47 AM

      I think you may be right, Julia. I admire Theodosia very much, too, but I see her more as a real woman than as a paragon of virtue.

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